Patrick E. McKnight, Ph.D.

Contact Information

Associate Professor of Psychology | George Mason University

Email: pmcknigh@gmu.edu | Phone: (703) 993-8292 Office: MSN 3F5, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030

Google Scholar | ORCID | GMU Profile


Education

Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical), University of Arizona, 1997 - Dissertation: Calibration of Psychological Measures: An illustration of three quantitative calibration procedures. Chair: Lee Sechrest, Ph.D.

M.S. in Exercise and Sports Sciences, University of Arizona, 1992 - Thesis: The effects of cohesion and identifiability on social loafing. Chair: Jean M. Williams, Ph.D.

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, 1988


Academic Positions

Associate Professor, George Mason University, Department of Psychology: Human Factors and Applied Cognition, 2011–Present

Advisory Board Member, Sense about Science USA, STATS.org, 2015–Present

Consultant, McKnight Consulting, LLC, Research and Technical Consulting, 2005–Present

Assistant Professor, George Mason University, Department of Psychology, 2005–2011

Research Assistant Professor, University of Arizona, Department of Psychology, EGAD, 2002–2005

Health Sciences Specialist, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, CESATE, 1999–2001

Psychology Resident, University of Washington, College of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1998–1999


Books

McKnight, P.E., McKnight, K.M., Sidani, S. & Figueredo, A.J. (2007). Missing Data: A Gentle Introduction. New York: Guilford Press. [3,200 citations]

Bootzin, R.R. & McKnight, P.E. (Eds) (2006). Strengthening Research Methodology: Psychological Measurement and Evaluation. Washington: American Psychological Association. [6 citations]


Selected Publications

2025

  • McKnight, P.E., Kashdan, T.B., MacKay, A., Kelso, K., & Gross, M. (2025). Purpose and happiness: A comparison. Journal of Positive Psychology.

  • Kashdan, T.B., McKnight, P.E., Kelso, K., Craig, L., Guenoun, B., & Naughton, C. (2025). Multiple dimensions of workplace curiosity: Evidence of generalizability in nine countries. Personality and Individual Differences.

  • Blanco-Donoso, Torio, L., Hurtado, M., Lecuona, O., Carmona-Cobo, I., Kashdan, T.B., McKnight, P.E., & Garrosa, E. (2025). Spanish adaptation of the Multidimensional Workplace Curiosity Scale. Acta Psychologica.

2024

  • Jackson, K.M., Thayer, S.C., Simpson, K.L., Shaw, T.H., McKnight, P.E., & Helton, W.S. (2024). Swimming with a head-mounted display: dual-task costs. Ergonomics, 1-10.

  • Kashdan, T.B., Kaufman, J.C., & McKnight, P.E. (2024). The costs of curiosity and creativity: Minimizing the downsides while maximizing the upsides. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 47, e105.

2023

  • Kashdan, T.B., Goodman, F.R., McKnight, P.E., Brown, B., & Rum, R. (2023). Purpose in life: A resolution on the definition, conceptual model, and optimal measurement. American Psychologist. [50 citations]

  • Dang, J.A., Shaw, T.H., McKnight, P.E., & Helton, W.S. (2023). A closer look at warning cues on the sustained attention to response task performance. Human Factors, 65, 1793-1803. [5 citations]

  • Harwood, A.E., Satterfield, K., Helton, W.S., McKnight, P.E., & Shaw, T.H. (2023). The Role of State and Trait Self-Control on the Sustained Attention to Response Task. Human Factors. [2 citations]

2022

  • Lockhart, P.B., Thornhill, M.H., Zhao, J., et al. & McKnight, P.E. (2022). Factors that affect dentists’ use of antibiotic prophylaxis. Journal of the American Dental Association. [10 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., McKnight, P.E., & Goodman, F.R. (2022). Evolving positive psychology: A blueprint for advancing the study of purpose in life, psychological strengths, and resilience. Journal of Positive Psychology, 17, 210-218. [45 citations]

  • Dang, J.A., Shaw, T.H., McKnight, P.E., & Helton, W.S. (2022). A closer look at warning cues on the sustained attention to response task performance. Human Factors. [5 citations]

2021

  • McKnight, P.E., Kidd, J.K., Gallington, D.A., Strauss, L.I., Lyu, H., Gadzichowski, K.M., & Pasnak, R. (2021). The Efficacy of Teaching Advanced Forms of Patterning to Kindergartners. Creative Education, 12, 557. [5 citations]

2020

  • Kashdan, T.B., Disabato, D.J., Goodman, F.R., & McKnight, P.E. (2020). The Five-Dimensional Curiosity Scale Revised (5DCR): Briefer subscales while separating overt and covert social curiosity. Personality and Individual Differences, 157, 109836. [280 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Goodman, F.R., Disabato, D.J., McKnight, P.E., Kelso, K., & Naughton, C. (2020). Curiosity has comprehensive benefits in the workplace. Personality and Individual Differences, 155, 109717. [195 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Disabato, D.J., Goodman, F.R., Doorley, J.D., & McKnight, P.E. (2020). Understanding psychological flexibility: A multimethod exploration of pursuing valued goals despite the presence of distress. Psychological Assessment, 32, 829. [120 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Disabato, D.J., McKnight, P.E., Kelso, K.C., Lauber, M., & Goodman, F.R. (2020). Sexual assault: Exploring real-time consequences the next day and in subsequent days. International Journal of Wellbeing, 10. [15 citations]

  • Gonçalves, S.F., Chaplin, T.M., López Jr, R., et al. & McKnight, P.E. (2020). High-Frequency Heart Rate Variability and Emotion-Driven Impulse Control Difficulties During Adolescence. Journal of Early Adolescence. [25 citations]

  • Lockhart, P.B., Thornhill, M.H., Zhao, J., et al. & McKnight, P.E. (2020). Prophylactic antibiotic prescribing in dental practice. Journal of the American Dental Association, 151, 770-781. [35 citations]

2019

  • Doorley, J.D., Kashdan, T.B., Alexander, L.A., Blalock, D.V., & McKnight, P.E. (2019). Distress tolerance in romantic relationships: A daily diary exploration with methodological considerations. Motivation and Emotion, 43, 505-516. [25 citations]

  • Fontana, M., Eckert, G.J., Keels, M.A., et al. & McKnight, P. (2019). Predicting Caries in Medical Settings: Risk Factors in Diverse Infant Groups. Journal of Dental Research, 98, 68-76. [45 citations]

  • Curby, T., McKnight, P., Alexander, L., & Erchov, S. (2019). Sources of variance in end-of-course student evaluations. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. [15 citations]

2018

  • Kashdan, T.B., Stiksma, M.C., Disabato, D.D., McKnight, P.E., Bekier, J., Kaji, J., & Lazarus, R. (2018). The five-dimensional curiosity scale: Capturing the bandwidth of curiosity and identifying four unique subgroups of curious people. Journal of Research in Personality, 73, 130-149. [520 citations]

  • Yarbro, J.L., & McKnight, P.E. (2018). An introduction to cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 6, 179. [8 citations]

  • Bock, A.M., Cartwright, K.B., McKnight, P.E., et al. & Pasnak, R. (2018). Patterning, reading, and executive functions. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1802. [45 citations]

2017

  • Alexander, L.A., McKnight, P.E., Disabato, D.J., & Kashdan, T.B. (2017). When and How to use Multiple Informants to Improve Clinical Assessments. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment. [35 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Blalock, D.V., Young, K.C., Machell, K.A., Monfort, S.S., McKnight, P.E., & Ferssizidis, P. (2017). Personality Strengths in Romantic relationships. Psychological Assessment. [65 citations]

  • Kashdan, T.B., Goodman, F.R., Stiksma, M., Milius, C.R., & McKnight, P.E. (2017). Sexuality Leads to Boosts in Mood and Meaning in Life. Emotion. [45 citations]

  • Monfort, S.S., Graybeal, J.J., Harwood, A.E., McKnight, P.E., & Shaw, T.H. (2017). A single-item assessment for remaining mental resources: development and validation of the Gas Tank Questionnaire. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science. [25 citations]

  • Bono, G., Froh, J.J., Disabato, D., Blalock, D., McKnight, P., & Bausert, S. (2017). Gratitude’s role in adolescent antisocial and prosocial behavior: A 4-year longitudinal investigation. Journal of Positive Psychology. [55 citations]

2016

  • de Visser, E.J., Monfort, S.S., McKendrick, R., Smith, M.A.B., McKnight, P.E., Krueger, F., & Parasuraman, R. (2016). Almost Human: Anthropomorphism Increases Trust Resilience in Cognitive Agents. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. [280 citations]

See Google Scholar for complete publication list (81 articles)


Research Funding

Total Funding: $6,890,206

Crowdsourcing forecast models in intelligence (PI: Georghe Tecuci)
IARPA | Co-Investigator | 2016–2021

Distinguishing extraordinarily happy from psychologically flexible people (PI: Todd Kashdan)
Koch Foundation | Co-Investigator — $248,000 | 2016–2021

Evaluation and Review of ONR Immersive Training Environments
Office of Naval Research (ONR) | Principal Investigator — $899,577 | 2014–2016

Diagnosis and prediction of mild traumatic brain injury (PI: Judith Babcock-Parziale)
VA Health Services Research and Development | Co-Investigator | 2009–2012

Advancing Outcomes Measurement and Micro-costing in Blind Rehabilitation
VA Health Services Research and Development | Co-Investigator — $550,080 | 2006–2010

Trait and State Frontal Brain Asymmetry in Depression
NIH-NIMH | Co-Investigator — $1,869,813 | 2004–2009

Multidimensional Intervention in Osteoarthritis
NIAMS | Co-Investigator — $2,630,000 | 2003–2007

Comprehensive Plan to Insure Capacity for Screening and Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer in Arizona
Arizona Department of Health Services | Co-Investigator — $275,000 | 2004–2006

Positive Mental Health and Outcomes in Osteoarthritis
Arthritis Foundation | Co-Investigator — $313,500 | 2002–2006

Tucson Energy Baseline Study
Department of Energy / TMEC | Principal Investigator — $19,000 | 2001–2002

Calibration of Measures for Assessing Low-Vision Rehabilitation Patients
VA Rehabilitation Research and Development | Co-Investigator — $85,236 | 2001–2003


Teaching

Graduate Courses

  • PSYC 611: Introductory Statistics and Methods I
  • PSYC 612: Introductory Statistics and Methods II
  • PSYC 642: General Linear Modeling I
  • PSYC 643: General Linear Modeling II
  • PSYC 754: Multiple Regression
  • PSYC 757: Bayesian Data Analysis
  • PSYC 734: Measurement & Study of Peak Performance

Undergraduate Courses

  • PSYC 301: Introductory Statistics
  • PSYC 325: Psychopathology
  • PSYC 405: Mystery, Madness, and Murder

Doctoral Students

Current Students

  • Amrote Getu
  • Kristin Carpenter
  • Amie MacKay
  • Dan Singer

Completed (18)

  • Dean Cisler, George Mason University, 2024
  • Kara Massick, George Mason University, 2024
  • Amanda Harwood, George Mason University, 2020
  • Michael Waltrip, George Mason University, 2020
  • Lisa Alexander, George Mason University, 2019
  • Max Shear, George Mason University, 2018
  • Simone Erchov, George Mason University, 2017
  • Jake Quartuccio, George Mason University, 2017
  • Sam Monfort, George Mason University, 2017
  • John Graybeal, George Mason University, 2016
  • Dan Blalock, George Mason University, 2016
  • Jessica Yarbro, George Mason University, 2016
  • Julius Najab, George Mason University, 2013
  • Mei Kuang Chen, University of Arizona, 2008
  • Michael Menke, University of Arizona, 2005
  • Kim Bissel, University of Arizona, 2001
  • Richard Lane, University of Arizona, 2000
  • Opher Caspi, University of Arizona, 2000

Professional Affiliations

  • American Evaluation Association, 1991–Present — Chair, Quantitative Methods TIG (2001-present)
  • American Statistical Association, 1997–Present
  • Association for Psychological Science, 1992–Present
  • Psychometric Society, 1997–Present
  • Society for the Science of Clinical Psychology, 1992–Present
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2001–Present
  • American Psychological Association - Division 5, 2009–Present
  • Society for Judgment and Decision Making, 2010–Present

Technical Skills

Statistical Software: R, SAS, SPSS, Python, Stan, JAGS, Julia

SEM/IRT: lavaan, Mplus, EQS, LISREL, Onyx, Mx, mirt, ltm, Winsteps, Multilog, Bilog

Programming: R, Python, C/C++, Fortran, Julia, SQL, LaTeX, Quarto, Shiny


Scholarly Impact

Metric Value
Total Citations 17,454
h-index 62
i10-index 108
Publications 90+

Source: Google Scholar, 2026-01-29

Research Contributions by Area

Most Cited Works


Beyond Academia

Mountaineering: Everest (2018), Aconcagua (2017), Denali (2011)

Marathon Swimming: English Channel, Catalina Channel, 20 Bridges Manhattan

  • Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming - Fastest Known Time (34 days)
  • Ranked Top 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Swimmers
  • 10th Member of Peak & Pond Club (2018)

Triathlon: Canadian Ironman (10:03)

Erdos Number: 6